Additional HMO licensing in Denbighshire
Yes. Denbighshire operates an additional HMO licensing scheme. Letting a covered property without a licence risks a civil penalty of up to £30,000, a rent repayment order of up to twelve months' rent, and the loss of the right to serve a section 21 notice.
What the designation says
An additional HMO licensing scheme is in force across Denbighshire. The Denbighshire County Council Additional Licensing (Houses in Multiple Occupation) Scheme 2025 was approved on 21 October 2025, commenced on 1 February 2026 and runs for a maximum of five years, until 31 January 2031. The areas of Denbigh, Llangollen, Prestatyn and Rhyl were re-designated and the scheme was then expanded to cover the whole county. It catches properties let to three or more tenants forming more than one household, whether or not they share facilities, and certain converted multi-unit buildings that do not meet the 1991 Building Regulations standard where fewer than two-thirds of the flats are owner-occupied. Because the scheme reaches three-tenant households it is considerably wider than mandatory licensing. Landlords in Wales must also register and be licensed through Rent Smart Wales, which is a separate requirement.
What this means for a landlord
A licence must be in place before the property is let, not applied for afterwards. Operating unlicensed in a designated area is a criminal offence: a civil penalty of up to £30,000 per offence, a rent repayment order of up to twelve months' rent, and a section 21 notice that cannot be served while the property is unlicensed. Mandatory HMO licensing applies separately and everywhere, wherever a property is let to five or more people forming two or more households.
Information tool, not legal advice. Confirm the position with Denbighshire before letting.